Toyota seeks damage control, in public and private
WASHINGTON (AP) - In public, Toyota is running apologetic TV ads and vowing to win back customers' trust. Behind the scenes, the besieged carmaker is trying to learn all it can about congressional investigations, maybe even steer them if it can. It's part of an all-out drive by the world's biggest auto manufacturer to redeem its once unassailable brand - hit anew on Tuesday as Toyota's global recall ballooned to 8.5 million cars and trucks. The day's safety recall of 440,000 of its flagship Prius and other hybrids, plus a Tokyo news conference where the company's president read a statement in English pledging to ``regain the confidence of our customers,'' underscored a determination to keep buyers' faith from sinking to unrecoverable depths. More »Cribs recalled after 3 deaths
WASHINGTON (AP) - Government safety officials Tuesday announced a recall of more than 500,000 drop-side cribs sold at Buy Buy Baby, Kmart, Wal-Mart and other stores after the death of three infants. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says plastic hardware on Generation 2 Worldwide and ChildESIGNS cribs can break and allow the drop side to detach. In addition, the mattress supports can break away from the crib frames. Both defects create gaps where a small child can be trapped and suffocate or strangle. More »Google's e-mail gets social in Facebook face-off
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) - Google is making it easier to socialize on its e-mail service. It's unveiling a new ``Google Buzz'' feature that sets up a face-off with Facebook. The feature unveiled Tuesday will enable Gmail users to create status updates on Google Buzz and read and comment on the updates posted by their friends. More »